Sugar v/s Jaggery (Gur)White, mill-made sugar has now become our daily diet. We take it in milk, tea, coffee, sherbat and other sweet preparations. We should however know that taking excess of sugar means inducting excessive quantity of uric acid in our body system. This generally results in such dangerous diseases as diabetes, rheumatism, acidity and pyorrhea. In children, it causes worms. With the increase in the consumption of sugar there has also been an increase in the number of patients of these diseases. If we analyze sugar as a food, we will find that it has no food value. All its nutrients are actually destroyed in the process of crystallization. Gur and shakkar however retain their protein, fat, vitamins, iron, calcium and other mineral salts. Gur is slightly laxative also. It helps the children to get relieved from thread worms. But the type of jaggery that is available in the market is usually unhygienically prepared and stored. The system of manufacturing and storing must improve before people can be attracted towards this important food item. Sugar is more acceptable to people because it is cleaned properly and is stored in bags. But jaggery is usually very clumsily packed and stored. This enables the flies to get in. We must do something to improve this system. In any case, we should reduce the quantity of sugar in our diet, if it cannot be eliminated altogether. Those who can do it should replace it by honey, dates and other natural sweeteners. Honey, in fact, is a food as well as a tonic. As a food, it is full of nutrients like dextrose, formic acid, iron and many enzymes. Moreover it is most easily digestible. As a tonic, it is a heart stimulant and brain tonic. On the other hand, unwashed dates are unhygienic. So, it is essential to wash them before eating or before using them in sweet dishes. |
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